U.K. police arrest man in connection with Vietnamese truck deaths
Man detained on suspicion of conspiracy to traffic people and assisting unlawful immigration
British police arrested a 23-year-old man from Northern Ireland on Friday as part of their inquiry into the deaths of 39 Vietnamese people found in the back of a truck near London last month.
"He was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to traffic people and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and remains in custody," Essex Police said in a statement.
The man was arrested on a motorway in Beaconsfield, a town 40 kilometres west of London, the statement said.
A 23-year-old man from Northern Ireland was arrested by officers from <a href="https://twitter.com/ThamesVP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ThamesVP</a> on our behalf in this morning in connection with our enquiry in to the deaths of 39 Vietnamese nationals in a lorry trailer found in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/grays?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#grays</a> on 23 October.<br><br>More on our website: <a href="https://t.co/NhmGRDEzNO">https://t.co/NhmGRDEzNO</a> <a href="https://t.co/skh6PFzPDg">pic.twitter.com/skh6PFzPDg</a>
—@EssexPoliceUKThe victims — 31 males and eight women — were found in a truck container on an industrial estate in Grays, Essex, not far from docks on the River Thames, on Oct. 23.
The truck driver, who is also from Northern Ireland, has been charged with 39 counts of manslaughter, conspiracy to traffic people, and money laundering.
A second man has been charged with the same offences and British authorities are trying to extradite him from Dublin.
Police have also been looking for two brothers from Northern Ireland. Police in Vietnam have arrested 10 people there in connection with the deaths.